European Film Industry Study: Only 20% of Films Are Made by Women, & They're Given Much Smaller Budgets

“Where Are the Women Directors?,” a new report on gender equality in the European film industry conducted by the European Women’s Audiovisual Network, has corroborated the findings of similar undertakings: Women still make up only a small portion of filmmakers. Among the findings of the study, which was conducted between 2006 and 2013 in seven countries (Austria, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and the United Kingdom), is the fact that only 21% of movies made in said countries are directed by women.

Even more lopsided is the funding situation; 84% of financing goes to films directed by men. EWAN’s report suggests that it isn’t due to a lack of talent, either: Women directors account for 44% of film-school graduates but only 24% of directors working in the industry.

Alessia Sonaglioni and Francine Raveney, who represent the EWA Network, will be at the Cannes Film Festival for the Women in Motion talk along with Swedish Film Institute CEO Anna Serner. The report calls for affirmative action in addressing the disparity and makes 15 specific recommendations for doing so, which include equalizing the distribution of public funds and incentivizing producers to support female filmmakers. More information is available on EWAN’s website.